Umbrella tip-cup.



N0. 688,627. Patented Dee. I0, |90I.

4 U. G. FRY.

UMBRELLA TIP GUP.

(Application led July 19, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ULYssEs e. FRY, or RAIfrnvioRi-z, MARYLAND.

UMBRELLA TIP-CUP.

. PECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,627, dated December10, 1901.

Application iiled July19, 1901.

To all whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, ULvssEs G. FRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new anduset'ul Improvements in Rib- Tip Holders for Umbrellas, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in ribtip holders for umbrellas; andits object is to provide an improved device of this character which willbe easy to manipulate and sure in operation and which will securely holdeach rib against the umbrella-rod independent of the other ribs, wherebyto prevent the ribs from twisting when the cloth or covering of theumbrella is tightly rolled around the rod, and thus avoidingthenecessity of grasping the rib-tips by hand when the umbrella is beingrolled.

The invention consists incertain constructions and arrangements of theparts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a side elevation ofthe handle portion of an umbrella provided with my improvedrib-tip-holding device, the ribs being shown in the released position.Fig. 2 is a similar view with the locking-sleeve in section and in thedown position, showing the rib-tips held by said sleeve. Fig. 3 is avertical section taken through the entire device, which is showndetached from the umbrella. Fig. 4 is a detail bottom plan view of theinner section or thimble of the holding device.

Referring to the drawings, the letter a designates the stick or rod ofan umbrella, b the handle, secured on said rod, and c the ribs, providedat their tips with the usual knobs c.

My improved holder comprises a thimble d, rigidly secured around theVlower end of the handle b and provided with a transverse cir- 'cularexterior bead e, in which are formed one or more slitsfto impart aspring or yielding action to the said bead, and the said thimble is alsoprovided at its lower end with a reduced or relatively small extensiong, iitted around the upper end of the rod a. This extension is providedon its exterior' with notches h, equal in number to the number of ribs cand of such a shape that the upper ends of the ribs, with their knobs,can fit snugly thereserial No. 68,893. (No Hindu.)

in-that is, each notch comprises a vertical or longitudinal grooveopening at its upper end into an approximately semispherical hollow ordepression, as indicated in the drawings.

Mounted to slide up and down on. the cylindrical upper portion of thethimble d is a locking-sleeve t', provided with a slightly outwardlyiiared lower edge j and two transversely-extending exterior bulges7c,one above the other and separated by a concave portion Z, which fitssnugly around the thimble. In Fig. l the said sleeve is'shown in the upposition to release the ribs, and its lowermost bulge 7a is coincidentwith and surrounding the beade of the thimble.

To secure the ribs close around the rod a, the rib-tips are gathered andheld together by hand, so that they each take in one of the grooves anddepressions of the reduced lower end of the thimble. The sleeve t' isthen forced downwardly on the thimble until its lower edge j takesaround the rib-tips and until its concave portion Z passes thespringbead e, whereupon the locking-sleeve 11 will be heldin the downposition, (shown in Fig. 2,) with its uppermost bulge 7c coincident withthe bead e of the ferrule. The rib-tips will then be securely held inthe notches.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the shape andrelative proportion of the parts, as well as changes in the details ofconstruction,without departing from the scope of the invention. Forinstance, the notched portion of the thimble may be made a separatepiece from the upper cylindrical portionl of the same and may, ifdesired, be made integral with the umbrella-rod.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is--s l. The combination with an umbrella, ofa rib-tip holder, comprising a thimble having one end itting around theumbrella-rod and provided on the exterior of said end with semisphericaldepressions and longitudinal grooves opening into said depressions, thesaid grooves and depressions being adapted to receive the rib-tips andtheir knobs; and a locking-sleeve slidable on said thimble and adaptedto take over said rib-tips, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with an umbrella, of a rib-tip holder comprising athimble secured on the umbrella-handle, said thimble being provided witha slitted spring-bead, and a re- 5 duced lower end fitting around therod and provided on its exterior with notches; and a locking-sleeveslidable up and down on said thimble and adapted to secure the rib-tibsin said notches, the said sleeve being provided with bulges adapted tocoincide with said slitted. bead whereby to hold the sleeve in either araised or lowered position with respect to said thimble, as and for thepurpose Set forth.

3. The combination with an umbrella, of a rib-tip holder comprising athimble, d, rigidly secured around the umbrella-handle and proi, mountedto slide on said thimble and provided with two exterior bulges, k, andan outwardly-flared lower edge, .Las and for the pur- ,pose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ULYSSES G. FRY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. VIETsoH, H. F. MEYER, Jr.

